Autumn is the time of the Metal element when everything in nature is letting go of what it no longer needs. It makes sense then that the emotion associated with the Metal element is grief, that intensely heavy feeling of letting go of someone or something we had a deep attachment to. When we are grieving it is very usual to feel a heaviness on our chest, like a lead weight pressing down as it is in the lungs that this emotion is felt most keenly. In Chinese Medicine the skin is referred to as the third lung and is actually our largest organ of detoxification as we sweat out substances everyday we don't need. There are a couple of naturopathic techniques that focus on the skin and can be useful to keep on top of cleansing all year around, but particularly during the Autumn when our Metal element may either need extra support or may be super charged. The first technique is skin brushing; this is where using a tough bristle brush, we brush our body all over starting with the hands, feet and limbs and moving inwards and always towards the heart, this gently removes the top layer of old skin, bringing the blood supply to the surface, so encouraging the release of toxins, it feels wonderfully invigorating! The second technique is hot and cold showering, by alternating the shower temperature from coolish to hotish (doesn't have to be extremes) we are again stimulating the heart and circulation, bringing the blood supply to the skin surface, massaging the lymphatic system and encouraging the release of toxins through the skin, again it is wonderfully invigorating and a great start to the day. Start off gently by alternating the temperature slightly to build up your tolerance. Enjoy these simple ways of supporting your Metal element and let us know how you get on.